Cushioned wheel.



A G. T. WICMILLAN.

CUSHIONED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APII.29. I9I8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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erica GEORGE T. MCMILLAN, 0F BROOKINGS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CUSHIONED WHEEL.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. MGMILLAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brookings, in the county of Brookings and State of SouthDakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CushionedWheels, of' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cushioned wheels and has for its object theprovision of a wheel for automobiles, trucks, o-r other vehlcles ;whichwill possess a high degree of resiliency so that the travel of thevehicle over rough roads will be smooth and comfortable, while at thesame time the wheel will possess all the strength necessary todurability and to permit the wheel to withstand the shocks due to roughtravel and hard usage.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- YFigure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel e bodying my presentimprovements;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, butshowing a form of tire different from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail group perspective of the parts of a spoke structureshowing the same separated but approximately in their proper relativepositions.

Myimproved wheel comprises a hub shell 1 and a rim 2 which may be of anywellknown clencher type, thehub shell and the rim being connected byresilient spoke structures :which will be presently fully described. InFig. 1 a pneumatic tire 3 is shown fitted to the rim 2 and this tire maybe equipped with any form of guard or armor, indicated at 4. .In Fig. 2,I show a cushion 5 of rubber or similar material fitted upon the rim 2and this cushion is compressed upon the rim so as to tend to expand andthereby retain in position a wooden felly 6. Upon the felly may besecured a metallic tire 7 reinforced by tread members 8 at its edges. t

At regular intervals, I secure Yin the rim 2 the inwardly projectingradialspoke bolts 9 and at corresponding intervals I construct notchesor recesses 10 in the edges of the hub shell 1. In the said notches, IengageV the inner hooked ends 11 of U-shaped bails or loops 12 whichhave their shoulders 13 engaged over washers or retaining plates 14which are constructed :with Vflanges 15 at their end edges against whichthe shoulders Specification of Letters Patent.V

Patented Feb. a, 1ere.

Application i1edAp1'i129, 1918. Serial No. 231,515.

13 of said bails will bear and in their side edges these retainingplates are constructed with notches 16 to engage the sides of the bailsso that said bails will be efectually held against displacement. Theretaining plates or washers 14 are provided each with a central opening17 through which the bolt 9 passes. A liber wvasher 18A is providedaround the bolt 9 and is held upon the retaining plate or metallicwasher 14 by screws or similar fastenings 19. This fiber washer willfrictionally engage the bolt so that it will retard the movement thereofwithout excessive wear and will thus impart sufficient rigidity to thelwheel to pre-Y vent sudden or excessive yielding of the same toobstructions so that deformation of the wheel and resultant rough ridingwill be avoided. The inner extremity of each spoke bolt is threaded, asshown at 20, and upon the said threaded extremity is fitted a nut 21bearing against a washer 22 fitted upon the bolt and receiving thethrust of a spring 23 which is coiled around the bolt between the saidwasher 22 and the retaining plate 14.

The hub 24 may be of any 'preferred construction but should be equippedwith annular flanges or equivalent members 25 through which bolts 26 maybe inserted to clamp the hub against the opposite side edges of the 'hubshell 1.

The several parts of the structure being assembled in the positionsshown and described, the nuts 21 are adjusted to impart the desiredtension to the springs 23 and the wheel is then used in the usualmanner. The springs 23 tend constantly to expand so that the rim andtread members of the wheel will be held concentric/ally with the hub andaxle. Should the wheel encounter ridges or other obstructions in theroad, the springs at the upper portion of the wheel will be compressedwhile a corresponding expansion will be permitted in the springs of thelower portion of the wheel so that the axle and the body of the vehiclewill not be subjected to sudden shocks and violent vertical oscillation.It will be noted that the inner ends of the bails or loops are notsecured to the hub shell but merely en gag'e through notches in theedges thereof so as to bear against the inner surface of the shell.When, therefore, the rim tends to move upwardly relative to the hubs,the spokes which may happen to be parallel or approximately parallel tethe ground will also tend to follow the upward inoitelnent of the rim attheir, outer ends and theupf per loop or bail coacting with each of saidspokes will slide inwardly at its inner endg through the notches in thehub shell while. the lewer bail or 19.910,. Gemine With, @aghi of saidspokes will have a pivotal turning movement upon the shell' soas toaecornnio date thel relative displaeeinent of the parts. The spokes aredisposed preferably so' that there are always two opposed; spokes andthe springs acting upon the spokes tend, as a result of: their'jointaction, to maintain the rini concentric with the hub. As a` result; of;this tendency of the springs the radialmovelnent of the spokes will begreatest in those spokes which are ini a vertieal` plane, while thosespokes which. are obliguely disposed, will, have less radial movementand those whih are horizontal or approximately horizontal will have onlyso much radial;"rnove1nent as will be permitted by the travel of thewheel acting wi-thlthevertieal displacement of the rlnil The improvedstructure is very simple in the forni and' arrangement of' its severalparts and n iay be readily assembled1 by unskilled persons so thatshould1 any one part be broken,- a` new part may be substitutedthere-for without requiring the servicesof a skilled mechanic or4necessitating the provision ot an entirely new wheel,

Having thusdeseribed the invention, what is clai-ined as newis;

'1.v The combination of a hub ineinber, a rim, a plurality ofindependent spokes secured in andf'extending radially inward from therim andi having free inner ends, retaining plates fittedV uponAtheseveral spokes, independentloops haying their,v in ner ends slidablyfitted in the hub ineinber and their outer ends spanning the saidretaining plates at opposite sidesoi the respeetive spokes, stopsadjustably secured upontlie inner endsV of, the several spokes, andsprings coiled around'the said spokes betwgeenE the said stops and theretaining plates. f

2. ai wheel, the combination1 of a, hub shell, a rim, a spoke securedinand projecting inwardly troni the rim and terminating short of the hubshell, loops havingY their inner ends extendingy into and slidably en.-gag-ing the liu-b shell and projecting out war'dly therefrom at thesidesl of' the spokg a retainingplate -itted upon the ispoke andinstructed5 ltoY engage the sides andl outer ends otthe saidloopstopreventl displace.- nient thereotg an adjustable stop uponA theinner end of the spoke, and a, springrcoiled around the sa-id`- spokebetween said? stop and the retainin plate.

3f.I In a w eel, the combination ofi a hub shell, a riin, a` spokesecured in and extend;- ing inwardly from the rini, bailshaving theirinner` ends engaged in the hub shells, a retaining late fitted upon thespoke and arovidedu with anges engaging against the yails. and withnotehes engaging the sides of the bails, a stop upon the inner.I end ofthe spoke, and.i a spring coiled` arounfh the spoke between thestopandiy the` retaining plate.

4. In a wheel, the combination. ot a hub shell', a rim, a spokeextending inwardly from the rini, bail's having their `inne-r. endsengagedin the hubu shell, a retaining plate upon the spoke engaging theAouter portions of the hails, a fiber washer secured; upon saidlretaining plate around. the spoke, astop upon the inner end1 or' the.spoke, and. a spring coiled: aroundi the spokebetween said sto and theretaining plate.

llii testimony whereofvafli'x niy signature.

GEORGIE T. MGMILLAN. [n s] Gopieaof 'chia patent may be obtainedy forvecents each, by/agdressingithe finnmsme Qlfritmf Washington, n, Gf*

